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Episode 34: How to Handle Panic Before the June LSAT

In this week’s podcast, which commemorates our one year anniversary of the Thinking LSAT Podcast, we share an update on the Thinking LSAT Logic Games Playbook. We also address the following issues from LSAT students across the country:

Kayli (who is taking the June LSAT) had questions about applying to law school as a “splitter” (i.e. a person with a high LSAT score and low GPA, or vice versa). She asked, “If you’re below the 25th percentile for the GPA or LSAT, do you have to be in the 75th percentile for the other component?”

Do you have any recommendations for practicing the ungraded writing sample section of the LSAT? Be sure to listen for Ben’s rubric to help you craft your essay.

Joe has been taking multiple practice tests (and tracking his performance) as he gears up for the June LSAT. He asks for tips to work through the last-minute panic and test anxiety he’s starting to feel before the June test.

3 Comments

Hey guys,
I started studying for the LSAT a couple weeks ago in preparation for the October test date (I know its very early, but I’m just planning ahead – have a busy August and September ahead of me), and have been progressing well, by my standard at least, in a lot of areas. The one area I cannot seem to grasp however are Sufficient and Required Assumption questions. I know, or think, that the answer to Sufficient Q’s will leave the argument’s reasoning with no gaps, and that Required Q’s answer choices MUST be true for the argument to reach the conclusion, but I have serious problems finding that Required assumption answer choice correctly, as opposed to the sufficient. If these definitions are right, then I would like to ask you guys for some strategies or tips to eliminate wrong answers and locate right ones with better success. I have been binge listening to your guys’ podcast while at work, and remember this being touched on briefly in a segment, but was hoping for some audible explanation as I am attempting the “self-study” approach (if you can call it that).
Thanks for the help!

We’ll tackle these two types in the next episode, which I think will be episode 36 at this point. In the meantime, for the required assumptions (which we often call “necessary assumptions”), it helps to avoid answer choices that go too far. Because you’re looking for an assumption that must be true — that has to be assumed — if an answer choice says “all,” “only,” or “most,” it probably doesn’t have to be true.

Granted, don’t just focus on those words. But consider them in the context of the argument and ask yourself: Does it have to be true, for example, that “ALL monkeys wear ties”? Or whatever the answer choice says. If that doesn’t have to be true, then it’s not a necessary assumption and it’s wrong.

You can also test answers by negating them. Using this same example, what if “NOT all monkeys wore ties”? Would that create a serious problem for the argument? In other words, what if there were ONE monkey who refused to wear a tie? Would the argument fall apart? If it would, then the answer that “all monkeys wear ties” would be correct; otherwise, it’s probably wrong.

In short, as you read each answer, just ask yourself: Does this answer absolutely have to be true? I hope this helps.

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About Ben Olson

About Nathan Fox

I am the founder of Fox LSAT, a UC Hastings law grad, Babson MBA grad, and the author of Cheating the LSAT. I'll inspire you, entertain you, and help you see the test the way I do. My students rave about me, and their LSAT scores show dramatic improvement.